After a long year

Finally posting again, I felt like I wasn't allowed to post until I figured out the formatting for the photos on previous posts. Finally figured it out, and now I'm back; hopefully to post a little more frequently.

Relevant classes I've taken this last year included:
Land Surverying Fundamentals
Principals of Landscape architecture: Design and Graphics
Landscape Plants I (ornamental trees and shrubs)
History of Landscape Architecture in America
Landscape architecture technology I (drainage and grading)
Soil Science: Ecosystem and resource


Although some of the projects I posted in the "Understanding the Process" post were from this year, I thought I'd give a quick snapshot of my year in school to see what I've done:

My year also included looking at the Milwaukee Kinnickinnic River Trail with a volunteer group, LaBash Conference at Miami International... Here's a look at that:

				Awesome parking ramp-yes this is landscape architecture Me and my friend on the ramp looking out looking out at the city member in my charrette group's perspective Working on an overlay The site plan location location location Most of the schools have laser cutters: clearly their models are awesome looking with this. Before     Where they're heading- part of the River redone.
				Next post will feature my internship this summer... Hope this shows a little of what the year has been like.

One step closer!

Alright, last week was a long one with work, and I'm finally getting around to sharing the great news. I am officially one step closer to becoming a Landscape architect. I have been accepted into the program (no longer a pre la student) at UW Madison. Hard work and stressing has been well worth it!

Cannot wait for the new year!

Also, There were no pictures in my last post due to formatting issues that I will try to get resolved by the next post.

Understanding the process

All good designs don't just come out of thin air. Of course they take time and are always created through a process similar to the scientific method, but more along the line of design.

1. Problem Statement

This is addressing what is wrong with the site, and why you feel that it is important to change the site from what it is now.

2. Site Inventory and Analysis

This is how it sounds- it included visiting the site, looking at photos, and maps, as well as doing research of the site. With this information you look at what is important to keep and what are problem areas. This is generally done with an opportunities and constraints map or an inventory and analysis map. Inventory and Analysis maps are done by using Kevin Lynch's five elements. These five elements include: paths, nodes, landmarks, edges, and districts. Paths are areas of circulation, not just where paths have been outlined already, but the paths that people take, which could be cutting through grass or planters. Nodes are areas of activity or where people need to make a decision where to go. Landmarks are significant features to the land; this could be prime meeting locations either manmade or natural. Edges are either walls, or imaginary lines between spaces. Lastly, districts are areas of a certain behavior. They are categorized by how people behave within a given area, and what uses it serves.

3. Formulation of Alternative Solutions.

Looking at what you've accumulated in the previous step, this looks at the best possible locations for program elements, which are what your design would like to include on site.

4. Choice of Solution

And obviously you can't pick all of the designs, you need to focus in on one. At this part in the process, you and your client(s) look at the best possible option and go with it. At this point you come up with a final design map and technical drawings. These are often called site plans. Here are a couple that I've done so far.

5. Implementation

Implementation is putting the plan into action. It is the shining moment, I believe, in a landscape architects career. Watching your design unfold before your eyes is incredibly rewarding.

6. Project Evaluation

So your plan is in place, but sometimes our plans don't quite meet the standards we aimed for. Project evaluation is going back after your site is finished and reevaluating the work you've completed. Sometimes our plan was successful and is used as planned, however, sometimes the does not meet it's full potential and the design process is started over.

So there's how an idea turns into reality.

Let's get this started:

As I promised, new posts with my school assignments and projects.

To start off, we did a project that was a simple 2D piece of art work. I apologize, I don't have a finished image of this, because my professor took mine (they are required to keep original projects of a few students in order to keep the program's certification, but the finished product was black ink for the swirls, and the circles were yellow- tea-dyed construction paper. Our assignment was to use five paint names that we were assigned and come up with a composition that reflected what we thought they meant and would appear like. To be honest, I can't remember all of the colors I was assigned, the yellow was frontier days, the black was Diva, the blue was Morning Haze, and I can't remember what the gray or the green were but the black stuck out a lot showing that diva's make things all about themselves and need to be the center of attention.

The next few assignments required little to no creativity and were strictly practicing line weight and letter techniques.

This assignment was straight copying another sheet of paper. We put the trace over the drawings and copied everything. I found that I should have made the objects in the front (for the picture on the left) a bit darker, so that it would read better. The wall-lines in the left picture should have been made much darker as well. But as everything, we learn as we go.

We also had one assignment to practice lettering. In landscape architecture, all writing is put in capitals. This makes it easier for others to read, and it also ensures that all letters are the same height.

To do this, we use a T-square and an ames lettering guide to layout the heights of the letters.

How to Architect

We are allowed to create our own style letters which is fun, but it's also more challenging than it sounds.

It's been a long time

I have decided to focus this blog to something more relevant in my life. I am currently attending UW- Madison in hopes of pursuing Landscape Architecture as a professional degree. It's proven to be quite the challenge and can be very intimidating at times with the thought in my mind that the program will only take the top 23 applicants (there should be over 50 applying). I have already seen an improvement in my work, but as I improve so do my classmates. Fortunately, many students are realizing after a semester in the program, that this is not for them.

I have decided to focus my blog on becoming a landscape architect. I will be posting my projects here and discussing the process. As my professor had told our class on our first day, many students have no idea what landscape architecture is or what it entails. My goal is to help everyone understand everything about this career.

While, I am in the midst of final projects being due for the semester, I may not be able to post projects up until after Christmas.

I also have taken interest in part of my job as many have become interested in in the last few decades- "GOING GREEN". In my lectures I've been given a few websites with green design, some of which are completely ridiculous and not aesthetically pleasing at all, but others are logical as well as beautiful and I hope to share those as I come across them.

Just so I can post something, here is one my professor showed me on friday.

http://www.greenpublicart.com/pages/featured/urban-landscaping-green-walls/

Patrick Blanc has beautiful designs for his green walls that can make going green more artistic and interesting. It also reminds me of all of my mom's friend's quilts.

http://patbishop.blogspot.com/

recently I filled out a scholarship called Frame Your Future. I finally finished my entry. It's a landscape plan ( dream career) and along the path I have different things I want to accomplish in my future.

It's been difficult trying to apply for scholarships and I feel like I always pick the scholarships that are near impossible to win because there are so many applicants. I guess I am just applying for as many as I can and hope that I can get at least one.

Madison

I was finally admitted to UW- Madison yesterday. It has been my dream to attend there since I was in 7th grade. I was denied this last year, but decided to give it another shot. Luckily after a few months of waiting for an answer, I received the answer I wanted. :) Of course I then called friends and family crying through half of them. I was just so excited I couldn't contain it!

I can't wait to be a Badger, and get into my dream career as well.